PPlog

I really like this: Manifesto for the post of National Director of Patient Insight with the NHS Commissioning Board The principles that will guide me if appointed: • I will press for power to be given to communities in all decisions about the commissioning of health services – for local, specialist and national services. • I will not align myself with the disingenuous euphemisms of government which claim to be putting patients at the ‘heart of’, ‘centre of’ and in the ‘driving seat of’ of services. I am in support of real power and influence for patients, carers and the public in the commissioning of services. • I will challenge the empty ritual of participation. I support communities having the real clout needed to affect the outcome of all commissioning processes in health care. • I am against participation without redistribution of power and the similar empty and frustrating processes currently promoted by the government in the name of public participation. • I bel...

The reports in today's media of big increases of children taken into care reinforce the increasing evolution of the misuse of social work education and skills by public authorities. Child care social work in the UK now comprises nothing more than gangs of CHILD PROTECTION POLICE. There needs to be an honest recognition of the fact that this is a separate and distinct profession with specialist skills. With a separation of these functions away from Child Care itself and attachment of the Social Work Police to the Police Authorities - that would, in any case, result in better essential child protection communications, removing children from their parents could be fairer, better evidenced and a more appropriate and accountable part of the criminal justice system. It could well be that social work training might be part of their very specialist education. In over thirty years of professional practice, my child care work consisted of working in partnership with families and childre...